‘Supporting Michelle’ fundraiser at Trackside to help woman’s fight against breast cancer

Photo by: LEANNE M. ROBICHEAUMichelle Robicheau Winchenbach of Waldoboro and her father Joseph Robicheau of Warren shave their heads prior to the start of her chemotherapy treatments.

ROCKLAND – Friends and family of a Waldoboro woman, who is fighting advanced inflammatory breast cancer, will hold a fundraiser Tuesday, March 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Trackside Station restaurant to help with costs associated with her medical treatments.

Michelle Robicheau Winchenbach, 35, who grew up in Thomaston, was diagnosed Sept. 27 with advanced inflammatory breast cancer. Since her diagnosis, she has been undergoing various types of chemotherapy and other treatments. Those treatments will be followed by radical surgery and radiation.

Donations and proceeds from the social gathering at Trackside Station will help Winchenbach and her husband, Timothy, with medical expenses. The couple has two daughters, Kathleen, 14, and Samantha, 11.

The fundraising event, which features music by Lolie Palooza, will include Trackside Station owners Kelly and Mike Woods donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of special beverages and Breast Cancer T-shirts. Many local businesses and community members also have donated merchandise and gift certificates to be raffled and a two-person plane ride in a 1933 Waco, courtesy of the Owls Head Transportation Museum, will be auctioned at the event. A 50/50 Raffle will also be held with tickets on sale now and during the event. A list of items up for raffle and auction will be updated as they are received on Trackside Station’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TracksideStation, as the event nears.

In July 2012, Winchenbach felt a lump in her breast and had an ultrasound done. She thought all was well, but due to a lack of communication from her doctors that further testing was required, she fell through the cracks. In early August 2013, her dog Abe, “paw punched” her in the breast while they were playing. Symptoms from the blow quickly led her to having another ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy resulting in a diagnosis of advanced inflammatory breast cancer. There is no family history of breast cancer.

From September on, Michelle’s procedures, blood tests, surgical biopsy, port implant for chemotherapy, complications associated with chemo and surgery, and weekly/bi-weekly trips to Brunswick for treatment have produced significant medical expenses.

Friends and family of“Supporting Michelle” hope that you will join them at Trackside Station for an evening of boosting her spirits and helping to lower these expenses.

For further information or to donate items for the raffle and auction, please contact Gena Richardson at 207-701-8160/email: geves4573@gmail.com or Jennifer Maynard at 207-701-8050/email: jen@summermaine.com. For those who cannot attend but would like to make a monetary donation, Michelle has an account at Midcoast Federal Credit Union. Please make all checks payable to Michelle Winchenbach.

Trackside Station is located at 4 Union St. in Rockland, 207-594-7500.